Panzram
06-02-2004, 01:13 AM
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Corey Koskie hit two of Minnesota's five home runs to lead the Twins over the error-prone Tampa Bay Devil Rays 16-4 on Tuesday night.
Torii Hunter and Jacque Jones also homered and Carlos Silva (6-3) pitched seven strong innings for Minnesota, which scored a season-high 16 runs to win for just the fourth time in 12 games.
Tino Martinez hit a two-run homer for the Devil Rays, who had a season-high four errors, along with three wild pitches and eight walks.
Silva allowed five hits and two runs. He lost his three previous starts after winning his first five decisions.
Paul Abbott (2-5) allowed seven runs, six earned, and five hits in four-plus innings, while walking four and striking out two.
Jose Offerman doubled with one out in the second and Henry Blanco followed with an infield single to Abbott, who overthrew first base, allowing Offerman to score and Blanco to move to second.
Blanco went to third on the first of Abbott's two wild pitches and scored on Lew Ford's two-out RBI single to make it 3-0.
The Twins added an unearned run in the third on first baseman Robert Fick's double error. Fick misplayed a grounder, allowing Koskie to score, then his throwing error allowed Jones to take second.
Martinez's ninth homer of the season, a two-run shot off Silva in the fourth inning, made it 4-2, but the Twins quickly extended their lead with a season-high six runs in the fifth inning.
After Abbott walked Doug Mientkiewicz to lead off the inning, Koskie followed with his seventh homer to make it 6-2.
Cristian Guzman snapped an 0-for-13 slump with a two-run double off John Halama to make it 8-2. The Twins scored another run on Jason Standridge's wild pitch and made it 10-2 on Michael Cuddyer's sacrifice fly.
In the sixth, Jones hit a two-run homer off Standridge to make it 12-2. The homer snapped an 0-for-20 slide for Jones.
Matthew LeCroy hit a two-run shot off Standridge in the seventh and Koskie followed with a solo shot for the seventh multihomer game of his career. It was the first time Minnesota has hit back-to-back homers this year.
Fick hit a two-run homer in the ninth.
Notes
Twins pitchers took their first batting practice of the year. They play at Montreal on June 15. ... Minnesota C Joe Mauer, on the DL since April 7, is expected to join the team on Wednesday. He went 1-for-4 in the first game of a doubleheader for Triple-A Rochester. RHP Rick Helling, recovering from a broken leg, pitched seven scoreless innings for Rochester. ... Tampa Bay pitchers have allowed a major league leading 75 homers. ... Abbott has lost his last four decisions. In his last three starts, 29 of the 58 batters he faced reached base and he has a 13.97 ERA in those games. ... Tampa pitchers tied a team record bywalking five batters in the fifth inning.
Torii Hunter and Jacque Jones also homered and Carlos Silva (6-3) pitched seven strong innings for Minnesota, which scored a season-high 16 runs to win for just the fourth time in 12 games.
Tino Martinez hit a two-run homer for the Devil Rays, who had a season-high four errors, along with three wild pitches and eight walks.
Silva allowed five hits and two runs. He lost his three previous starts after winning his first five decisions.
Paul Abbott (2-5) allowed seven runs, six earned, and five hits in four-plus innings, while walking four and striking out two.
Jose Offerman doubled with one out in the second and Henry Blanco followed with an infield single to Abbott, who overthrew first base, allowing Offerman to score and Blanco to move to second.
Blanco went to third on the first of Abbott's two wild pitches and scored on Lew Ford's two-out RBI single to make it 3-0.
The Twins added an unearned run in the third on first baseman Robert Fick's double error. Fick misplayed a grounder, allowing Koskie to score, then his throwing error allowed Jones to take second.
Martinez's ninth homer of the season, a two-run shot off Silva in the fourth inning, made it 4-2, but the Twins quickly extended their lead with a season-high six runs in the fifth inning.
After Abbott walked Doug Mientkiewicz to lead off the inning, Koskie followed with his seventh homer to make it 6-2.
Cristian Guzman snapped an 0-for-13 slump with a two-run double off John Halama to make it 8-2. The Twins scored another run on Jason Standridge's wild pitch and made it 10-2 on Michael Cuddyer's sacrifice fly.
In the sixth, Jones hit a two-run homer off Standridge to make it 12-2. The homer snapped an 0-for-20 slide for Jones.
Matthew LeCroy hit a two-run shot off Standridge in the seventh and Koskie followed with a solo shot for the seventh multihomer game of his career. It was the first time Minnesota has hit back-to-back homers this year.
Fick hit a two-run homer in the ninth.
Notes
Twins pitchers took their first batting practice of the year. They play at Montreal on June 15. ... Minnesota C Joe Mauer, on the DL since April 7, is expected to join the team on Wednesday. He went 1-for-4 in the first game of a doubleheader for Triple-A Rochester. RHP Rick Helling, recovering from a broken leg, pitched seven scoreless innings for Rochester. ... Tampa Bay pitchers have allowed a major league leading 75 homers. ... Abbott has lost his last four decisions. In his last three starts, 29 of the 58 batters he faced reached base and he has a 13.97 ERA in those games. ... Tampa pitchers tied a team record bywalking five batters in the fifth inning.